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What is the Water Youth Network?
The Water Youth Network is a global connector in the water sector, made up of a vibrant community of students and young professionals and across disciplines. The Water Youth Network is neither an implementation organization nor a fund, but rather an organization that encourages and enables the connection of young individuals and organizations within and beyond the water sector. We value initiative, innovation, inclusion, community, and a collaborative spirit.
How did the network start?
Water Youth Network was born out of a group of young water professionals who met at the 6th World Water Forum (WWF) in Marseille, France in 2012. The organization was first registered in France in 2013, and later shifted its registration in the Netherlands in 2017. The initial concept of the network came from a recognition that there are many water-related organizations with common goals, but there is a lack of cooperation among youth organizations and between youth organizations and “established” organizations. Likewise, the group of young professionals at the 6th WWF saw great potential in shifting the involvement of young people from a “decorative” role to a more meaningful role, especially in decision-making forums. Water Youth Movement and Youth Diplomacy, two organizations which comprised the Youth Task Force responsible for organizing the student and youth sessions at WWF 6, realized the need for continued action and collaboration beyond the Forum and decided to collaboratively create the Water Youth Network.
What is our vision and mission?
Our vision is a world where young, motivated, well-prepared individuals are connected to the individuals, organizations, information, resources, and opportunities that enable them to ultimately improve the world’s water situation. We envision Water Youth Network to be a online and offline platform through which members, alumni, and partner organizations realize this vision, fostering a spirit of on-going learning and exchange among many generations of water professionals.
Our mission is to:
- Connect young professionals and students in the water sector to one another and to sector partners; and
- Empower young leaders to share and develop skills and expertise to create and advance water sector solutions.
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What do we do, concretely?
We focus our attention on four priority areas in order to realize our vision.
How do we work?
The WYN has a simple structure: an advisory board, a core group of active members split into working groups, individuals and partner organizations.
THE ADVISORY BOARD
The advisory board is composed of 5 members elected every three years by the core group of active members. The advisory board supports and facilitates the collaboration of the working groups, lobbies for the network and guides the network in its growth.
WORKING GROUPS
The advisory board creates working groups for tasks that require specific attention. Each working group defines its own strategy and actions, within the goals of the Water Youth Network, and coordinated with the other working groups. The working groups are guided by the advisory board. Currently, the following working groups have been created:
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[accordion title=”Water Governance”]
Contact person: s.damkjaer@wateryouthnetwork.org; r.terhorst@wateryouthnetwork.org
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[accordion title=”Disaster Risk Reduction”]
Contact person: l.cumiskey@wateryouthnetwork.org
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[accordion title=”Integrated Water Resource Management”]
Contact person: l.basco@wateryouthnetwork.org; y.abbosouka@wateryouthnetwork.org
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[accordion title=”Water, Sanitation & Hygiene” ]
Contact person: m.cabero@wateryouthnetwork.org
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[accordion title=”World Water Forum” ]
Contact person: c.benitez@wateryouthnetwork.org
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[accordion title=”YouKnoW! – Youth-driven Knowledge in Water platform”]
Contact person: a.albrecht@wateryouthnetwork.org
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